Mia Khoirunisa
Northern Italy – Jelle Akkerman, the multifaceted engineer and artist behind the "every something" creative imprint, has officially launched his new venture, every something plug-ins, today, introducing two innovative audio tools: Glosso and Artikulation. This debut marks Akkerman’s significant entry into the software domain, building upon his established reputation for unique hardware creations, including the collaborative "every division and duration" Eurorack module. The initial release focuses on experimental, non-normative designs, available in AU and VST3 formats for both macOS and Windows, promising to push the boundaries of digital sound manipulation.
Akkerman, whose early artistic experiences included opening for the Vengaboys at a zoo at the age of 14, has consistently demonstrated a commitment to avant-garde sound exploration. The "every something" brand encompasses his diverse creative outputs, from music to hardware and now, software. The recently released Eurorack module, "every division and duration," developed in collaboration with Dr. Nicolas Bougaïeff and Johannes Lohbihler, hints at Akkerman’s interest in complex rhythmic structures, a theme that is prominently carried forward into the new plug-in offerings.
The launch includes two distinct plug-ins, Glosso and Artikulation, with a further two, Perp (a Risset-powered live looper) and Otophon (a synthesizer), slated for release next month. This strategic rollout suggests a sustained effort to build a comprehensive suite of unconventional creative tools. The inclusion of tuplets and polymeters in the design philosophy of these plug-ins underscores Akkerman’s dedication to exploring intricate temporal and rhythmic relationships within sound.
Glosso: Emulating Vocal Synthesis with Algorithmic Chaos
Glosso, the first of the two debut plug-ins, draws its inspiration from the concept of "glossolalia," or speaking in tongues, and translates this into a powerful vocal synthesis engine. The plug-in is designed to generate constantly evolving, often unpredictable vocal textures through the intricate interaction of dual chaotic rhythmic circuits. Akkerman states that the core of Glosso’s functionality is deeply rooted in the pioneering circuit designs of Rob Hordijk, particularly the "rungler" circuit found in the legendary Benjolin.
The rungler circuit, as explained by Hordijk, functions as a pseudorandom generator where two oscillators are "entangled." One oscillator clocks a shift register, which is then fed by the second oscillator. The output of this process is fed back into the circuit as control voltage, creating a feedback loop that generates chaotic yet structured patterns. Glosso meticulously adapts this principle for digital audio, employing two such chaotic circuits to drive two independent vocal voices. This inherent pseudorandomness ensures that each sonic iteration is unique, with the two voices exhibiting a high degree of variation, ranging from subtle differences to profound divergences.
The user interface of Glosso is presented in a minimalist black and white aesthetic, focusing on clarity and immediate usability. Key controls allow for fine-tuning of the chaotic vocal generation:
- Head/body and haat/boty: These parameters are dedicated to tuning the fundamental frequencies of each of the two vocal voices, offering precise control over their pitch relationships.
- Q: This control accentuates the phonemic qualities of the synthesized voices by manipulating the vowel filter, allowing users to sculpt the spectral character of the output.
- stagger: A particularly engaging control, "stagger" dictates the temporal separation between the two voices. Adjusting this parameter can shift the output from a shuffling, intertwined rhythm to distinct, clearly separated rhythmic patterns.
- Clock: The clock control offers two modes: synced to the host DAW’s tempo or free-running. The free-running mode unleashes the full chaotic potential of the underlying circuits, maximizing the "rungler-style" unpredictability and creating dense, evolving soundscapes.
Furthermore, Glosso incorporates a visually represented cross-modulation feature at the top right of its interface, offering an intuitive way to manage the interaction between the two voices. For more granular control, users can delve into the parameters section to directly adjust crossfeed. This parameter allows for fine-tuning the stereo image, ranging from hard panning to complete overlaying of the voices in the center of the stereo field, offering a wide spectrum of spatial possibilities. This feature, in particular, was a result of direct feedback from early testers, highlighting a collaborative development approach.
When pushed to its limits, Glosso is capable of producing not only bizarre vocalizations but also rich, ambient drones, complex textures, and an array of other unexpected sonic artifacts. Its capacity for generating both structured rhythmic variations and pure sonic mayhem positions it as a potent tool for experimental electronic music producers and sound designers. The plug-in’s ability to explore territories reminiscent of Benjolin-style sound generation further solidifies its appeal to those seeking unconventional sonic palettes.
Artikulation: Precision Rhythmic Shaping and Temporal Manipulation
Artikulation emerges as a sophisticated tool for precise rhythmic and groove shaping, moving beyond the conventional envelope shapers that often rely on binary curves or manually drawn sequences. This plug-in empowers users to meticulously sculpt complex rhythms and grooves, from simple structures to intricate polymeters, with the ability to bend, skew, and stretch them dynamically. Despite its advanced capabilities, Artikulation is designed for intuitive operation, requiring only a few key controls to achieve profound results.
Unlike traditional envelope generators that require manual drawing of patterns, Artikulation utilizes a novel set of controls to define rhythmic subdivisions. Users can adjust the depth parameter, which governs the amplitude of the envelope, in precise divisions of /2, /4, /6, and /8. This feature allows for the creation of sophisticated rhythmic structures with ease. For instance, using the /2 and /4 divisions provides a foundation for simple, duple meter patterns, which can then be further refined.
The shape and skew controls, located in the bottom left of the interface, allow for the manipulation of the envelope’s contour. These can be used to generate a wide range of envelope shapes, from sharp, percussive on-the-beat patterns to smooth, modulated effects like pumping "ducked" values. This flexibility enables users to tailor the envelope’s dynamic response to suit a variety of musical contexts.
For more intricate rhythmic compositions, Artikulation introduces advanced tuplets settings. These tuplets are not merely additive but are overlaid onto the existing rhythm, allowing for the introduction of swing, complex accents, and the creation of sophisticated combined rhythmic patterns. This feature is particularly effective in generating polymetric effects, where different rhythmic cycles interact simultaneously. The plug-in’s design prioritizes an analog-style intuitive workflow, making the process of dialing in these complex patterns feel natural and responsive.
Further enhancing the temporal manipulation capabilities are the phase and scale controls. The phase control, represented by a dot at the bottom of the display, allows for the leftward or rightward shifting of the entire envelope pattern. The scale control, situated on the right-hand side, offers the ability to adjust the overall magnitude of the envelope’s effect. A smaller scale setting is ideal for introducing more nuanced and subtle sonic alterations.
Perhaps the most groundbreaking feature of Artikulation is its timing warp control. This parameter allows users to dynamically squeeze or stretch the entire rhythmic pattern forward or backward in time, while crucially retaining the grid integrity. This capability unlocks the potential for creating compelling fast-ratcheting effects, rubato passages, and smooth acceleration/deceleration (accel/deccel) dynamics. The ability to manipulate time in such a controlled yet expressive manner makes Artikulation an indispensable tool for producers who prioritize temporal elasticity and sonic movement in their compositions.
To demonstrate the power and versatility of Artikulation, Akkerman has provided examples of its application, including a demonstration using Ableton Wavetable. The example highlights how the plug-in can be used to create dynamic and evolving sounds, further enhanced by auxiliary modulation from tools like "Modulators Plus" by Max for Cats and custom Ableton Live themes by Studio Brootle.
The plug-in also comes equipped with a diverse range of presets, offering users immediate access to a variety of sonic possibilities and serving as excellent starting points for exploration. Tweaking these presets is described as an immensely satisfying process, further encouraging experimentation and discovery.
Availability and Future Outlook
Both Glosso and Artikulation are available for purchase today directly from the every something plug-ins website, with a free trial offered for users to experience their unique capabilities firsthand. The launch of these two plug-ins signifies a bold and innovative stride in the realm of digital audio effects and sound design tools. Akkerman’s commitment to pushing creative boundaries, evident in both his hardware and now software offerings, positions "every something" as a noteworthy emerging force in the music technology landscape. The anticipation for the upcoming releases of Perp and Otophon further suggests a comprehensive and ambitious roadmap for the "every something" brand.
The integration of concepts like algorithmic chaos, rungler-inspired circuitry, and precise rhythmic sculpting, particularly with features like tuplets and timing warp, addresses a growing demand among artists for tools that offer deep creative control and facilitate the exploration of unconventional sonic territories. The professional journalistic analysis of these tools suggests a significant impact on experimental music production, sound design for film and games, and the broader field of algorithmic composition. The accessibility of these advanced concepts through user-friendly interfaces, coupled with the availability of free trials, democratizes access to cutting-edge sound manipulation techniques.
The ongoing development and release schedule indicate that Akkerman and "every something" are poised to become significant contributors to the evolving landscape of creative audio software, offering musicians and sound designers novel ways to express their artistic visions. The initial reception and the clear intent behind the design of Glosso and Artikulation suggest that this launch is more than just a product release; it’s a declaration of intent to redefine what is possible in digital sound creation.
